Rock’s Best Christmas Songs

Most fans of rock music will agree that the majority of classic Christmas songs are aged and cheesy and overplayed, and it’s hard to escape them. So this is my playlist of some of my favourite Christmas songs, either created or covered by some of the best in rock music…

1. LostAlone – I Want Christmas Always

 

‘I Want Christmas Always’ is potentially one of the most perfect Christmas songs ever, everything about it screams festive spirit. LostAlone’s take on Christmas combines rock music and catchy riffs with signature elements of a classic Christmas song – including ‘ding-dongs’ and jingling bells – to create a song that is up there with the best. It always leaves me with a smile on my face and feeling super festive.

2. blink-182

 

 

 

Where to start with blink-182? They’ve made three great Christmas songs, all of them with the signature blink-182 sound. The lyrics in both ‘I Won’t Be Home For Christmas’ and ‘Happy Holidays, You Bastard’ are probably the most anti-Christmas lyrics possible for a Christmas song, yet I still always listen to them around this time of year to get me in the festive spirit. The band recently unveiled a new song from their upcoming EP, ‘dogs eating dogs,’ called ‘Boxing Day’ – while it’s only standard blink-182, with a folksy spin on their sound, it’s still a pretty good song.

 

3. Fall Out Boy – Yule Shoot Your Eye Out

 

 

‘Yule Shoot Your Eye Out’ is a typical FOB masterpiece and manages to be un-Christmassy whilst still being a Christmas song, which I guess the title defines well. Opening with the sound of sleigh bells and ending with an electronic snippet of Christmas carol ‘Deck the Halls,’ the lyrics refer to Christmas in a completely un-festive way. Its acoustic sound makes a nice change from all the cheer from classic Christmas songs, and it’s Fall Out Boy, so of course it’s going to be an awesome song.

 

4. All Time Low – Merry Christmas, Kiss My Ass

 

 

The pop-punk sound and cheeky lyrics of All Time Low are what really make this song; like the classic Christmas songs, it’s catchy and it’s funny, but ‘Merry Christmas, Kiss My Ass’ sounds nothing like the classic Christmas songs, which makes it 10x better. I love this song and it always leaves me looking forward to the holiday.

 

5. The Killers

 

 

 

 

Like with blink-182, there’s not much I can say about The Killers’ Christmas songs – they speak for themselves. Every year the band come out with a new song specially for the season, and every year they are amazing.

 

6. No Doubt – Oi To The World

 

I’m a fan of anything No Doubt, but their ska twist on this song (originally by The Vandals) is brilliant and manages to be a Christmas song without sound even remotely Christmassy, except from the guitar which maintains the sound of a festive song throughout.

 

7. My Chemical Romance – All I Want For Christmas Is You

 

 

In the first 40 seconds of this song, the only way you’d be able to tell that this is a My Chemical Romance cover of the classic Mariah Carey song (an unlikely choice, I know) is Gerard Way’s distinctive vocals. The full band make themselves known eventually though and pull the song off so well; I especially love the raw edge they’ve put on what is otherwise the classic Christmas song I hate the most. Basically, MCR’s take on this song makes for one of the best Christmas covers of all time.

 

8. Kids In Glass Houses – Secret Santa

 

 

This is the final song on the list, and with good reason. I don’t think I can put into words how much I love this song, it’s just so amazing. As much as I love Kids In Glass Houses, I don’t think I expected anything this good when I heard about their Christmas song. It’s made me feel even more Christmassy than I already did, which I didn’t think was possible. I love the video that accompanies it too.

So that’s my list of some of the most awesome Christmas songs of all time, in no particular order because they’re all bound to leave you in the festive spirit and looking forward to Christmas. Less than two weeks to go now!